The Valley of Eden: is evil nature or nurture? John Steinbeck's novel East of Eden was inspired by a message he wanted to send to his children. Steinbeck created this epic story to bring his voice and advice to the two young boys he loved immensely. He wrote the story of good and evil, including love and hate, demonstrating how they are inseparable. ("The Valley of Eden", Kirjasto) Steinbeck wanted to describe to Thom and John IV the Salinas Valley, the precious place where he grew up. He aspired to detail every element, from images to sounds, colors and smells. He placed East of Eden here, in the Salinas Valley, not because of its significance to the story but because of the importance placed on his children. ("East of Eden Summary") This setting includes more than memories of Steinbeck's childhood, it shows the history of the time period. Several waves of immigrants to California, new inventions including Ford automobiles and new windmills, an attempt to ship lettuce in frozen boxcars, and organized prostitution throughout the West are some of the real events that took place during this time in history . As his children grew up, Steinbeck hoped that East of Eden would show them their roots. The families created in the novel contributed to this meaning. The Hamiltons were immigrants from Ireland, Steinbeck's true ancestors. The Trask family was fictional and helped tell the story that Steinbeck believed was important to every man. This universal family living next to a universal neighbor had meaning for his children and for anyone who undertook the work. John Steinbeck calls the novel the story of my country and my story. East of Eden is about a boy who becomes a man as he overcomes jealousy and realizes self-worth; this is achieved through the awareness that everyone possesses good and evil. A quote from Steinbeck himself expresses the desire he had to instill this in his children's lives, "this is for my children" to read when they grow up...And so I will tell one of the greatest - The Story of Good and Evil , of strength and weakness, of love and hate, of beauty and ugliness." John Steinbeck's significant novel shows good and evil, while questioning the reader whether evil is destined or whether our lives are governed by a moral choice. (Pearson; "The novel: East of Eden")